Album reviews, Live reviews, Books and anything else I find interesting

Following on from the recent ‘Premonitions‘ deluxe box set, Universal are releasing three disc versions of three Steve Hackett titles in late May 2016.

1978’s ‘Please Don’t Touch’ and 1979’s ‘Spectral Mornings’ will contain the new Steven Wilson stereo mix of the album (plus bonus tracks), a CD featuring the original album mix, remastered from 2005, and the Steven Wilson 5.1 Surround sound mix (on DVD).

1980’s ‘Defector’ will contain a ‘pseudo’ surround mix (by Ben Fenner) rather than a ‘true’ 5.1, since the multi-track tapes couldn’t be located, the 2005 remaster and a live CD from the 1981 Reading Festival.

A couple of things stand out – ‘Please Don’t Touch’ includes tracks omitted from ‘Premonitions’ (Two extra versions of ‘Narnia’ that are on the 2005 remaster) and surely the Reading Festival 1981 set should be on the reissue of 1981’s ‘Cured’ (if that happens), especially as it contains tracks from that album?

There is no news at present regarding Steve’s first solo CD reissue ‘Voyage Of The Acolyte’. The multi-track masters are missing for this album too, ‘Premonitions’ included a Ben Fenner pseudo 5.1 upmix from the 2005 remaster.

Disc: 2
1. Narnia
2. Carry On Up The Vicarage
3. Racing In A
4. Kim
5. How Can I?
6. Hoping Love Will Last
7. Land Of A Thousand Autumns
8. Please Don’t Touch
9. The Voice Of Necam
10. Icarus Ascending

Disc: 3
1. Narnia
2. Carry On Up The Vicarage
3. Racing In A
4. Kim
5. How Can I?
6. Hoping Love Will Last
7. Land Of A Thousand Autumns
8. Please Don’t Touch
9. The Voice Of Necam
10. Icarus Ascending

Spectral Mornings

CD 1
1. Every Day
2. The Virgin And The Gypsy
3. The Red Flower Of Tachai Blooms
4. Clocks – The Angel Of Mons
5. The Ballad Of The Decomposing
6. Lost Time In Cordoba
7. Tigermoth
8. Spectral Mornings
9. Every Day
10. Clocks – The Angel Of Mons
11. The Caretaker

CD 2
1. Every Day
2. The Virgin And The Gypsy
3. The Red Flower Of Tachai Blooms
4. Clocks – The Angel Of Mons
5. The Ballad Of The Decomposing Man
6. Lost Time In Cordoba
7. Tigermoth
8. Spectral Mornings

DVD
1. Every Day
2. The Virgin And The Gypsy
3. The Red Flower Of Tachai Blooms
4. Clocks – The Angel Of Mons
5. The Ballad Of The Decomposing Man
6. Lost Time In Cordoba
7. Tigermoth
8. Spectral Mornings

Defector

CD 1
1. The Steppes
2. Time To Get Out
3. Slogans
4. Leaving
5. Two Vamps As Guests
6. Jacuzzi
7. Hammer In The Sand
8. The Toast
9. The Show
10. Sentimental Institution
11. Hercules Unchained (B – side of single – released in June 1980)
12. Sentimental Institution (recorded at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane 11th November 1979)